1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a terminal connection structure for an electric wire.
2. Description of the Related Art
Coaxial electric wires have conventionally been used widely as electric wires for use in wiring at portions (for example, in electric components mounted on automobiles) where electromagnetic waves and the like are required to be shielded (refer to JP-A-2009-16126). A coaxial electric wire has a configuration in which one or more internal conductors (core wires) are covered with a first insulating cover (internal insulator) and an external conductor provided on the outer circumference of the internal insulator is covered with a second insulating cover (external insulator). In addition, another configuration is also known in which a shield conductor is provided on the outer circumference of an external insulator and the shield conductor is covered with a third insulating cover (protection sheath). The terminal sections of these conductors are respectively connected to the connection terminals on the side of the coaxial electric wire, and the conductors are also connected to the connection terminals, circuits, electric wires, etc. of a mating connection device via the connection terminals, whereby the coaxial electric wire is electrically connected to the mating connection device.
In the case that the connection terminals on the side of the coaxial electric wire are connected to the plurality of conductors of the coaxial electric wire and the coaxial electric wire is connected via the connection terminals to, for example, the connection terminals of the mating connection device, a plurality of connection terminals are disposed at the terminal connection portion of the coaxial electric wire. In this case, for example, in the case that two internal conductors are drawn out in parallel and connected to the connection terminals on the side of the coaxial electric wire so as to face, for example, the connection terminals of the mating connection device, two connection terminals are disposed in parallel at the terminal connection portion on the side of the coaxial electric wire. Hence, the size of the terminal connection portion on the side of the coaxial electric wire becomes large, and this causes a problem in saving the space of the connection structure of the coaxial electric wire. Furthermore, since the connection terminals are disposed in parallel, the terminal connection portion on the side of the coaxial electric wire has a flat shape; hence, in the case that a waterproofing member, such as a rubber plug, is mounted, it is necessary to secure the waterproofness of the rubber plug by separately providing a structure for stopping the rotation of the rubber plug. In addition, as in the case of the terminal connection portion on the side of the coaxial electric wire, the terminal connection portion on the side of the mating connection device also becomes large in size; hence, for the purpose of saving the space of the connection structure of the coaxial electric wire having the above-mentioned configuration, it is necessary to consider the terminal connection structure on the side of the mating connection device.